Dear Labor-HHS Subcommittee Member:
We are writing to urge you to oppose any new funding for abstinence-only-until-marriage programs included in the Labor-HHS appropriations bill your subcommittee is scheduled to mark-up tomorrow, July 8.
As you know, the President's FY05 budget request proposes doubling funding for abstinence-only-until-marriage programs to $273 million. The bulk of this increase is in the Community Based Abstinence Education (CBAE) account which would dramatically increase from $75 million in FY04 to $186 million in FY05. A doubling of funding (to $26 million) for the abstinence-only-until-marriage funds in the Adolescent Family Life Act (AFLA) is also included in the President's budget request as is a new National Abstinence Education Campaign (requested funding is $10 million).
These increases are in spite of mounting reports from the states (Arizona, Iowa, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania, in particular) that these programs are ineffective and have little beneficial impact on young people's sexual behavior. Additionally, not a single, sound study has shown abstinence-only-until-marriage programs to have a long-term beneficial impact on young people's behavior.
The undersigned groups propose that no new increases be approved for unproven abstinence-only-until-marriage funding and that you move the requested funding to other accounts that are severely under-funded. Since its inception, the SPRANS-CBAE abstinence-only-until-marriage program, in particular, has received extraordinary increases including a doubling of the funding in the first two years, followed by increases in FY03 to $55 million and in FY04 to $75 million. These increases are in spite of a lack of evidence showing efficacy. Meanwhile, many other worthy and effective programs are being starved.
In yesterday's CQ Today, Chairman Regula said the committee would reject the Bush Administration's request to eliminate the Even Start program. This program, funded at $247 million, ""combines childhood and adult education programs for low-income families to improve literacy rates,"" according to the article. ""It makes a world of difference to get the parents involved and those early years are so important,"" Chairman Regula said. The proposed abstinence-only-until-marriage increases would pay for half of this program. As you know, there are countless other worthy programs also desperate for funds.
Further increasing funds for abstinence-only-until-marriage programs not only withholds available funds from vital health and education programs but also puts young people at risk by subjecting them to programs that have not been proven effective and may actually be causing them harm. We ask that no new money be provided to abstinence-only-until-marriage programs.
Sincerely,
Advocates for Youth
Alan Guttmacher Institute
American Civil Liberties Union
Human Rights Campaign
NARAL Pro-Choice America
National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association
National Women's Law Center
Planned Parenthood Federation of America
Population Connection
Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States